"Ghosting against Saudi farmers" "So finished" - Twitter erupts as Cristiano Ronaldo disappoints in official Al-Nassr debut
Cristiano Ronaldo was unable to score on his debut for new club Al-Nassr as they faced Al-Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League on Sunday, January 22. The highest-paid player in the world, however, was on hand to bring 24,000 fans to Mrsool Park with his presence.
The energy was electric as the packed stadium displayed banners, shirts, and posters with the Portuguese ace's name. Cheers and applause echoed throughout the arena every time he touched the ball, creating a palpable sense of excitement and anticipation.
Despite Ronaldo's attempts, though, it was Brazilian Talisca who scored the only goal for Al-Nassr. He headed the ball into the net as the legendary forward was unable to reach it first. Talisca put in a stellar performance in the first half, scoring and showcasing excellent ball distribution all around.
At the end of the first half, fans were left to ponder the Portugal international's performance in his first competitive game since the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He was actively involved in his debut for Al-Nassr, but the forward seemed perhaps too eager to make an immediate impact.
This helped the opposing defense stifle him, leaving him little room to find space and secure the expected goal. The crowd was hoping to see a goal from the forward, but their dreams were dashed as the opposing goalkeeper kept his shots out.
When the second half commenced, Ronaldo was more at ease and generated some good opportunities. However, he was unable to reach expectations and score on his debut.
Al-Nassr went on to secure the victory and the three points that have enabled them to reclaim the top spot in the Saudi Pro League standings. Here is how Twitter reacted to Ronaldo's inability to find the net on his debut for Al-Nassr:
@FIFAWorldCup @Cristiano @AlNassrFC @AlNassrFC_EN He is ghosting against Saudi farmers πΉπ
@Stav10M @stavfps Heβs so finished ππ
WAIT RONALDO JUST MADE HIS AL NASSR DEBUT AND NO ONES EVEN TALKING ABOUT IT πππππππ
Cristiano Ronaldoβs debut at Al Nassr. Captained the team, ended with a W.
Vamos β¨ https://t.co/c1Cq3ecopX
All this big talk and bs over a friendly game which only Ronaldo took seriously π back to reality in the farmers league twitter.com/_common_w_/staβ¦ https://t.co/J3Qm2qljhw
@FIFAWorldCup @Cristiano @AlNassrFC @AlNassrFC_EN Mighty impressed with Ronaldo 's debut https://t.co/V7ZwYDKA9e
@FIFAWorldCup @Cristiano @AlNassrFC @AlNassrFC_EN If Ronaldo scores in secondary farmers league does anyone care?
@FIFAWorldCup @Cristiano @AlNassrFC @AlNassrFC_EN Sorry nobody was watching, try again next time
@FIFAWorldCup @Cristiano @AlNassrFC @AlNassrFC_EN I didn't even know it was his debut . What happened they win?
@FIFAWorldCup @Cristiano @AlNassrFC @AlNassrFC_EN Zero shot on target https://t.co/SHXxcyPQKl
@FIFAWorldCup @Cristiano @AlNassrFC @AlNassrFC_EN Can't imagine he has found it hard. He went for the money, not competition. π
@FIFAWorldCup @Cristiano @AlNassrFC @AlNassrFC_EN Very impressive https://t.co/TsyEacnv7h
@FIFAWorldCup @Cristiano @AlNassrFC @AlNassrFC_EN Bro thinks we're watching.
@FIFAWorldCup @Cristiano @AlNassrFC @AlNassrFC_EN β¬200M gone down the gutter. Saudi sheikhs must quickly change rules to allow my idolo to use his hands.
@FIFAWorldCup @Cristiano @AlNassrFC @AlNassrFC_EN Dunno he plays in a Mickey Mouse league that nobody watches. π€·π»ββοΈ
@FIFAWorldCup @Cristiano @AlNassrFC @AlNassrFC_EN He is new to the league, once he get used to it, he will show to the world once again that who is the goal machine.
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@FIFAWorldCup @Cristiano @AlNassrFC @AlNassrFC_EN Ahmed Al-Ghamdi, the player of Al-Ettifaq, cut off the water, air and electricity from Cristiano Ronaldo and prevented him from scoring ππππππ
@FIFAWorldCup @Cristiano @AlNassrFC @AlNassrFC_EN still finished in farmers league
@FIFAWorldCup @Cristiano @AlNassrFC @AlNassrFC_EN Washed
@FIFAWorldCup @Cristiano @AlNassrFC @AlNassrFC_EN I prefer not to speakπ https://t.co/s4TK03pith
@FIFAWorldCup @Cristiano @AlNassrFC @AlNassrFC_EN 0 goals
0 assists ππ
Ronaldo couldnβt get a goal against the alhajis in Saudi Arabia π³π³
Ronaldo fans were celebrating 2 friendly goals for 3 days and I was just waiting for Ronaldoβs debut in an actual match to ghost. He never disappointed. π€π
Cristiano Ronaldo sells 400 shirts per day
Al-Nassr's new star signing has been aiding shirt sales in their stores, according to Marca.
The store staff informed the publication that sales have been extremely brisk since the announcement of Ronaldo's signing. An average of 400 shirts are sold per day.
It's worth noting that the shirts are not inexpensive, with a total cost of around $100 each. As of the weekend, only children's sizes and XXXL adult sizes were available in the store. Smaller sizes have been sold out due to high demand.
Overall, it's clear that the forward's signing has had a major impact on the club's merchandise sales. Al-Nassr will hope to get a similar impact from him on the pitch as the season progresses.